Elevator Selfies: What The Viva Team Are Wearing To Work In May

Thursday May. 23, 2024

Viva

How our editors actually dress to get things done.

Our dedicated team of experts share their personal style tips, what they’ve spent their money on, and how they get dressed in the morning.

The coat rack in the Viva office found itself overflowing this month, as end-of-season temperatures have taken a chilly dip.

Navigating the changeable weather in Tāmaki

Our common solve? Layers, layers, layers. This month, we’ve sported coats, cardigans and enveloping scarves over our go-to wardrobe staples to keep the cold (and incessant office air conditioning) out.

Dan Ahwa, creative and fashion director

It’s getting cooler so I’m enjoying the opportunity to layer up more than usual. One great way to do this is to invest in a simple white singlet from Jockey, which you can pick up for a bargain from Farmers. Over this I have a wool Maggie Marilyn plaid shirt which I also enjoy wearing, a pair of Thom Morison wide-leg trousers, a Uniqlo raincoat which I wear most days, and a pair of Sebago loafers in an Oxblood colour that I love. Annabel Dickson recently collated a helpful assortment of loafers to shop right now, and they’re a great shoe you can slip into for a quick way to look pulled together for the office without really much effort.

Emma Gleason, deputy editor, lifestyle audience

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The weather outside (driving rain) and in (wild fluctuation in newsroom heating) necessitates a mostly assortment of fabric and layers — here I’ve got leather, cotton denim, and a blend of silk, cashmere and possum. It’s a bit haute-and-harried, but you really need to be ready for anything! Let’s start from the top down; classic sharkies-style glasses from Glassons, a vintage Burberrys scarf from Hunters and Collectors in Wellington, Georgia Jay bag, old leather jacket I bought at Aotea Square Market (RIP) as a teenager, vintage Brookes Brothers shirt from eBay, Crane Brothers tie from years ago, Penny Sage knit (possum fibres are hollow so they keep you warm), a Taylor Groves skirt — it’s not caught, it has a brilliant buckled hitch at the back — that matches my jacket, and some Italian leather boots from the City Mission op shop on Karangahape Rd. There are leather gloves somewhere, hopefully in my bag, and the umbrella was a cheap emergency purchase on a wet day, and it’s holding up quite well considering.

Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant

If I want to avert attention from my upper half, bold on the bottom it is. This Paris Georgia skirt I found second-hand at Tatty’s for under $100 fits the bill for being both fun and functional. My Rory William Docherty crushed silk top allows the outfit to feel elevated with contrasting textures yet not overpowering against the skirt. The disclaimer: due to office temperatures close to the Antarctic my coat only came off for this elevator pic.

Read more from Annabel: My style: Painted Bird’s Stephanie King is a vintage expert

Madeleine Crutchley, multimedia journalist

I’ve invested a considerable amount of time into my search for good basics — pieces that are simple and comfortable but also feature an interesting or subversive detail. In this outfit, easily plucked from my wardrobe, I feel I’m reaping the rewards of my particularities. My jumper is thrifted from Savemart New Lynn, and has slightly voluminous sleeves and a gathering at the back (well, front, but I’m wearing it backwards). My jeans are from a Calvin Klein outlet store in the UK. They’re straight-cut and have raw edges. The shiny slingbacks are a new-ish purchase from Merchant, bought to replace a beloved pair of pointed-toe loafers that I’ve absolutely thrashed over seven years (the soles have cracked and the stitches are unfurling). I’m wrapped in a Ruby coat, one of the items that excites me most during the winter season. I’ve found a bit more play in my earrings: they’re the slightly gothic heart and bow hoops by Crushes.

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Julia Gessler, multimedia journalist

The formula today is jeans and a nice top. The former is a lovely Annina pair from Citizens of Humanity that are relaxed and deep blue and buttery (I basically live in them). The latter is an embroidered camisole from Bode — it’s slightly cropped (the brand’s cropping always sits perfectly at my hip) and has flowers that delicately coil along the neckline, a sense of craft I really appreciate! Strung over my arm is a black cashmere Cos sweater. My shoes, a pair of bow ballerina pumps, are also Bode.

Ashleigh Cometti, beauty editor

Last week, in honour of Australian Fashion Week, I decided to don one of my favourite Australian designers during my busiest day in the office. Alongside pink, green is one of my favourite colours and this two-piece Ena Pelly jade suit always makes me feel like I have my s*** together. It delivered the kind of energy needed to carry me from an early morning interview (see below) through to getting caught in the rain en route to a PR lunch (hence the unkempt-looking hair). Locally, Sarah Street of Bronwyn makes excellent, office-appropriate footwear, and these cream-coloured Winona sandals are currently on high rotation.